Two held in trafficking inquiry

Two people remained in Garda custody last night in connection with an international police operation targeting a gang involved in high-level human trafficking across Europe.

It is suspected that the gang is involved in the trafficking of women into Ireland for the purposes of prostitution by other criminal groups which operate brothels around the country.

Mobile phones, laptops and USB keys were seized during searches on premises in Dublin, Athlone and Dundalk as part of the operation which gardaí hope will lead to further intelligence about the spread and organisation of the gang and its activities.

Three people were arrested, having been under police surveillance over a period.

Two men and a woman were arrested following planned searches of five premises in Dublin, two premises in Athlone and one in Dundalk.

One man, arrested in Athlone, was later released without charge. However, a man and a woman remained in custody in Clondalkin Garda Station last night.

Europol, Interpol, PSNI The Human Trafficking Centre Central Investigations Bureau, Warsaw, and the Serious Organised Crime Agency in the UK are all involved